Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches

A few weeks ago my neighbor mentioned that her husband makes French Dip sandwiches in the their slow cooker using lunch meat roast beef and an envelope of au jus mix. The conversation got me craving a French Dip, but I am not a big fan of processed meat or mixes so I improvised. These sandwiches are delicious!

Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches

3-5 lb roast (I used a chuck roast)
1/2 onion chopped, diced, or sliced (however you like it -- I diced mine)
2.5 cups beef broth
1/2 cup red wine (optional -- you can increase the water)
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
pepper to taste
Crusty rolls
Cheese (provolone, swiss, mozzarella, white American)

Trim fat from roast. Heat oil in a large skillet. Season roast with salt and pepper. Sear roast in pan on both sides until browned. Put roast in slow cooker. Add onions and then all liquids (broth, wine, water). Add onion powder, garlic powder, pepper and celery salt and stir to dissolve. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours or until meat is tender enough to shred.

Remove meat from slow cooker and shred. Place shredded beef on rolls and top with cheese. Broil sandwiches, open faced, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Dip top of rolls in to au jus in the slow cooker and place on top of the broiled bun. Serve sandwiches with a small dish of au jus for dipping.

A Mini-Staycation in Las Vegas

One of the major pluses of living in Las Vegas are the "locals" deals. In the summer, those deals get incredibly cheap! We took advantage of a deal at the MGM for a night. We basically ended up paying $10 for a hotel room, breakfast, and an inner tube for the lazy river. I found the deal through MGMs Facebook page so I highly suggest you "like" all your favorite local and vacation spots on Facebook!

Christmas in July

After we got back from San Diego in mid-July, I decided on a whim that it would be fun to celebrate Christmas in July on July 25th. The girls were beyond excited about the idea, my sisters agreed to celebrate with us and my dear husband wholeheartedly pitched in to help out.


We put up a small, pre-lit tree, but left the decorations in the box. I wanted something quick and easy. This would be a great use for an clearance tree at the after Christmas sales.

We just did a few small gifts -- most of which I already had on hand.  My sisters found some fun items in Target's Dollar Spot.

After opening gifts, we baked gingerbread teddy bears in the toaster oven using a couple of kits I'd never gotten around to using.

We made gingerbread aprons -- kits I bought through Oriental Trading, again a few years ago that we just never got around to making!

I had a ham in the freezer that I bought when they were on sale for Easter. I didn't want to heat up the house so I borrowed my friend's electric roaster oven and cooked it outside! It worked perfectly and I now I really want one of those!

I loved celebrating Christmas in July! We got to do a lot of things that we just haven't had time for during the hustle and bustle of the "real" holiday season.  This will definitely be a new family tradition!

Family Golf Lessons

A golf course near our home is offering family golf lessons for FREE every Wednesday evening. My husband took our oldest, who is 10. When I asked her later if she liked she just kind of shrugged her shoulders... but then I saw these pictures her dad took! Look at the intensity!

Don't forget to check out your local golf courses when looking for free activities!

Peg Dolls

One particularly lazy summer afternoon, we finally got around to painting some peg dolls. These were a big hit with everyone and even Daddy got involved in an afternoon peg "person" painting session!

 (Please note it was 104 out and she was wearing long sleeves. I think she adjusted!)

I think he has a gift. We didn't have any red paint, so the blue should be red, but can you tell who he painted?

A (Budget) Princess Birthday Party

I am not a mama who is in to spending big time money on a birthday party, but I do love to throw a fun shin dig! Ella's birthday is in July. This past January I ran in to a deal where I could get 75% off the cost of a real live princess for a birthday party. It was so inexpensive that I couldn't pass.

The princess was from Fairytale Couture and every adult at the party agreed that she was fabulous! I can't say enough good things about this company. The normal prices are more than I like to spend for a birthday party, but I think it's worth the cost. My daughter and her friends had an hour of very personalized time with a real live princess. They were ELATED! The princess told a story, sang songs, danced with them and even did some face painting (she does other activities as well -- you can choose what you want).

Because I spent all of my budget on the princess, I made homemade cupcakes and stuck to simple decorations I had around the house. I had picked up plates, napkins, and cups after Valentine's Day (pink always goes over!). Ella is already asking for Cinderella to come next year and it was worth cutting back everywhere else to be able afford a real live princess.

(Even the "big" girls had fun!)

Our San Diego Summer Vacation

We have spent the past week and a half on vacation just north of San Diego, California. We are heading back home in a few days. The weather took me completely by surprise -- it has been in the mid-60s and overcast with a few days of rain. I was expecting a sunny beach vacation! We're heading back in to the hottest part of our summer (110 degrees plus) so I'm trying to enjoy the cool temps and not feel like I'm freezing cold all the time.

Here's what we've been up to this week!

My husband's name (in case you missed it) is Mitch.

Cardiff State Beach 

Sea World

In front of the USS Midway

At Oceanside Beach -- he's trying to figure out what the heck is on his feet!